Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
So I went down to my favorite open mic 2 days after Christmas. It is pretty much perfection for me; it's literally within walking distance and the mostly Millennial crowd has been very kind and supportive and encouraging. It is run by everybody's favorite Anally Egalitarian Cheerleader, Brenda Carsey, who is also one of my Very Favorite Vocalists. She starts each show with a song, so again, pretty much perfect…….
On Christmas Day the venue had the Kindness to let her know that the open mic was going to be discontinued immediately. 2 days later she announced it to the audience. So I reached in my back pocket and pulled this out of the depths…..It's a fairly decent representation, considering the circumstances, I guess.
SALAD DRESSING
(Everybody Knows)
Copyright Ric Taylor
I found myself this new salad dressing
It lights your mouth up, but Dietary; zero calories per toke
And for good taste it takes its cue
from down South deep wood barbecue
You’ll think it’s bacon, but it’s just smoke
And lately life, it seems to me’s about restrictions
Not that they help much; Hell, you go right ahead and hang yourself,
But only if you brought the proper rope
And hidden deep within life’s frame
there is this wicked little game
It pumps up the heartbeat, then it tears away the hope
Like sometimes you know, in a crowded room,
you’ll hear a dead friend’s laugh
And you look ‘round, all excited, then it sinks in; you feel like such a dope
You know exactly who’s to blame,
it is that wicked little game
and it tears away the hope
And it is out there
off in the distance
It peels away the precious parts of Life
and then feeds them to the crows
and everybody knows….
It’s going to get you, too;
Everybody knows
You start off life somewhere in the back of a trackless train
And you need direction, you don’t seek Perfection
You just wanna be movin’ on down the line
And the track that Life keeps pushing through
it’s not what you wanted, but it’ll do
you’re moving forward, so everything seems fine
but wait a minute, just outside; you see some triumph-in-the-waiting
and its twisted track has brought it close enough
for you to see both the dangers and the thrill
but if you want to catch it, Slick,
well, instant action is the trick
‘cause it don’t come often, and it’s never standing still
but, but….
“Hold on!” you say “Let’s find us a way
that I can pick up life right back where I left off
if this adventure goes astray.”
but if your train will take you back
you must start over, sweeping track
so you stay in safety and you let it fade away
But it is out there
off in the distance
and you’re plagued by why its beauty
terrorized your soul until it froze
‘cause everybody knows
that you could get there
everybody knows
I have this friend; he is my semi-constant hero
and not just because he tickles ivories
‘til they stand up straight and squeal
I love it when he gains applause
I purely hate it when he flaws
Thank God that’s rarely ‘cuz he never cuts a deal
And he played festivals when younger
Truly great ones; some iconic
Sometimes Led Zeppelin would open for the band he’d built to close
And when God stomped across his face
Due to his everlasting grace
He stayed unbroken; that’s a path few others chose
and now I watch him bang around that barrel of odd jobs, mainly construction
they call him “handyman” now but you know
deep inside an artist’s spirit never quits
Sweet melodies still tend to flood
You cut him, notes flow with the blood
He’s a songwriter, that’s the only phrase that fits
and he knows it’s out there
off in the distance
well, he’s stood toe to toe and traded blows
so often they no longer call each other foes
and everybody knows
that he has been there
everybody knows
now, one day soon these priests of shuck
they will convince you lightning’s struck
your bang has finally hit the buck
you’re gonna rise you’re gonna nevermore be broke
you’re gonna have this billion reader blog
you’ll live so high up on the hog
you’ll think it’s bacon, but it’s just smoke
and after 6 decades of hearing “Ric, it’s just around the corner;
Ric. really. just around the corner,”
my friends and family are staggered, and they beg me for relief
but as the tension it grows steeper
well my silence just grows deeper
it’s hard to tell them what I truly do believe
and that’s the funny thing, you know, about fulfillment..
just throwing money at your miseries has never been a requisite
but the way that I explain
why I keep jumpin’ off this train
is “I’m a songwriter”; that’s the only phrase that fits
And it is out there
It is….
out there
This place where even little children run to you
and they beg to hear your prose
and everybody knows
that you could get there
every one of us knows
‘cause you can hear it
off in the distance
Just listen…..
So I went down to my favorite open mic 2 days after Christmas. It is pretty much perfection for me; it's literally within walking distance and the mostly Millennial crowd has been very kind and supportive and encouraging. It is run by everybody's favorite Anally Egalitarian Cheerleader, Brenda Carsey, who is also one of my Very Favorite Vocalists. She starts each show with a song, so again, pretty much perfect…….
On Christmas Day the venue had the Kindness to let her know that the open mic was going to be discontinued immediately. 2 days later she announced it to the audience. So I reached in my back pocket and pulled this out of the depths…..It's a fairly decent representation, considering the circumstances, I guess.
SALAD DRESSING
(Everybody Knows)
Copyright Ric Taylor
I found myself this new salad dressing
It lights your mouth up, but Dietary; zero calories per toke
And for good taste it takes its cue
from down South deep wood barbecue
You’ll think it’s bacon, but it’s just smoke
And lately life, it seems to me’s about restrictions
Not that they help much; Hell, you go right ahead and hang yourself,
But only if you brought the proper rope
And hidden deep within life’s frame
there is this wicked little game
It pumps up the heartbeat, then it tears away the hope
Like sometimes you know, in a crowded room,
you’ll hear a dead friend’s laugh
And you look ‘round, all excited, then it sinks in; you feel like such a dope
You know exactly who’s to blame,
it is that wicked little game
and it tears away the hope
And it is out there
off in the distance
It peels away the precious parts of Life
and then feeds them to the crows
and everybody knows….
It’s going to get you, too;
Everybody knows
You start off life somewhere in the back of a trackless train
And you need direction, you don’t seek Perfection
You just wanna be movin’ on down the line
And the track that Life keeps pushing through
it’s not what you wanted, but it’ll do
you’re moving forward, so everything seems fine
but wait a minute, just outside; you see some triumph-in-the-waiting
and its twisted track has brought it close enough
for you to see both the dangers and the thrill
but if you want to catch it, Slick,
well, instant action is the trick
‘cause it don’t come often, and it’s never standing still
but, but….
“Hold on!” you say “Let’s find us a way
that I can pick up life right back where I left off
if this adventure goes astray.”
but if your train will take you back
you must start over, sweeping track
so you stay in safety and you let it fade away
But it is out there
off in the distance
and you’re plagued by why its beauty
terrorized your soul until it froze
‘cause everybody knows
that you could get there
everybody knows
I have this friend; he is my semi-constant hero
and not just because he tickles ivories
‘til they stand up straight and squeal
I love it when he gains applause
I purely hate it when he flaws
Thank God that’s rarely ‘cuz he never cuts a deal
And he played festivals when younger
Truly great ones; some iconic
Sometimes Led Zeppelin would open for the band he’d built to close
And when God stomped across his face
Due to his everlasting grace
He stayed unbroken; that’s a path few others chose
and now I watch him bang around that barrel of odd jobs, mainly construction
they call him “handyman” now but you know
deep inside an artist’s spirit never quits
Sweet melodies still tend to flood
You cut him, notes flow with the blood
He’s a songwriter, that’s the only phrase that fits
and he knows it’s out there
off in the distance
well, he’s stood toe to toe and traded blows
so often they no longer call each other foes
and everybody knows
that he has been there
everybody knows
now, one day soon these priests of shuck
they will convince you lightning’s struck
your bang has finally hit the buck
you’re gonna rise you’re gonna nevermore be broke
you’re gonna have this billion reader blog
you’ll live so high up on the hog
you’ll think it’s bacon, but it’s just smoke
and after 6 decades of hearing “Ric, it’s just around the corner;
Ric. really. just around the corner,”
my friends and family are staggered, and they beg me for relief
but as the tension it grows steeper
well my silence just grows deeper
it’s hard to tell them what I truly do believe
and that’s the funny thing, you know, about fulfillment..
just throwing money at your miseries has never been a requisite
but the way that I explain
why I keep jumpin’ off this train
is “I’m a songwriter”; that’s the only phrase that fits
And it is out there
It is….
out there
This place where even little children run to you
and they beg to hear your prose
and everybody knows
that you could get there
every one of us knows
‘cause you can hear it
off in the distance
Just listen…..
